These are the “best” tourist cities in the world

(CNN) – Travel has changed in many ways since the pandemic began, but one of the changes for the better is the new push into rural tourism. Where we had previously intended to organize a trip to the city, in lockdown we started dreaming about being outside, and that hasn’t changed yet.

So there are 32 new country locations to add to your list. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has compiled its second annual list of the best rural towns in the world.

It’s a departure from the usual Instagrammable lists of top tourist destinations. The World Tourism Organization is a United Nations agency that focuses on responsible tourism, so these cities were chosen for how they can increase visitor numbers without destroying what visitors see. It’s a statementThe World Tourism Organization said:

“The award recognizes rural destinations that embrace tourism as a driver of development and new job and income opportunities, while preserving and promoting community values ​​and products. The initiative also recognizes cities for their commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social and environmental – and focus on developing tourism in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ).

A list was drawn up of 32 countries from around the world, out of 136 proposals submitted by 57 UNTWO member countries. There is no rating. Instead, destinations are listed alphabetically by country.

Puqueldon on the island of Lemuy in Chile made the list. Bernd Zeilich / Alamy

Each country was allowed to submit up to three cities for consideration, with only Spain able to qualify its three cities. Rubet, Alquízar and Guadalupe made the list. Neighbor Portugal gets an entrance: Castelo Novo, one of 12 historic towns surrounded by the Serra da Gardunha mountain range.

Austria The list begins with Zell am See. A small town, not a village, on the quiet shores of Lake Zell, in the shadow of the Kitzbühel Alps. Its brother, Wagreen, is a small ski resort near Salzburg.

Next is Chile, and its entrance is Puqueldón, the largest of the nine cities on the island of Lemuy in Chile’s Chiloé archipelago. China made the list with two towns: Dazai, in northern Guangxi Province, and Jingzhou in Chongqing, southwest China.

Zell am See is one of two Austrian places on the list. AdobeStock

One particularly interesting addition to the list is Choke Mountain Village, an ecotourism village on Choke Mountain, about 200 miles (321 kilometers) northwest of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The farming community uses solar energy, biogas and environmental waste management, conducts sustainable land management and has introduced fair trade tourism, where visitors can buy local honey, coffee, herbal medicine and beer as souvenirs of their stay.

The initiative called “Best Tourist Cities” aims to combat depopulation in rural areas, promote gender equality, innovation, infrastructure and investment, and reduce regional income and development inequality, all while activating sustainable tourism and reducing emissions and waste. The UNWTO said in a statement that the cities on the list have a “clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects: economic, social and environmental”.

The full list, arranged alphabetically, is as follows:

• Zell am See, Austria
• Wagreen, Austria
• Buckeldon, Chile
• Dazhai, China
• Jingzhou, China
• Showachie, Columbia
• Aguarico, Ecuador
• Anguchagua, Ecuador
• Knock Mountains Eco-Village, Ethiopia
• Mestia, Georgia
• Kfar Kama, Israel
• Soris Zaher, Italy
• Isola del Giglio, Italy
• Umm Qais, Jordan
• Creel, Mexico
• El Fuerte, Mexico
• Khirbat Palace, Morocco
• Moulay Bouzraktoun, Morocco
• Lamas, Peru
• Al-Raqshi, Peru
• Castelo Novo, Portugal
• Pyeongsa-ri, South Korea
• Rasinari, Romania
• The ancient city of Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
• Boeing, Slovenia
• Rupet, Spain
• Alquézar, Spain
• Guadeloupe, Spain
• Morten, Switzerland
• Andermatt, Switzerland
• Bergi, Turkey
• Tai Hoi, Vietnam